Cancer Biology Training Program Washington University School of Medicine Siteman Cancer Center

1. Cancer Biology Training ProgramWashington University School of MedicineSiteman Cancer Center Lee Ratner MD PhD Program Director Director, Molecular Oncology

2. Objectives • To train graduate and postgraduate students in interdisciplinary research relevant to cancer biology • To provide basic scientists in depth training in diverse aspects of basic, translational, and clinical cancer research • To foster the development of interdisciplinary collaborative undertakings • Program is devoted entirely to training students in the PhD program or postdoctoral fellows with a PhD, not those training for or have received MD or MD PhD degrees who have other sources of support our institution and other avenues of obtaining a background in broad issues of cancer biology.

3. Rationale • In light of the rapid pace and complexity of basic, translational, and clinical research, it is imperative to provide graduate and post-graduate trainees the necessary armamentarium of experimental skills and intellectual background to undertake cutting edge cancer research • Success in an academic career pathway requires proficiency in research skills and mentored training. • This program is closely integrated with and supported by the Siteman Cancer Center. • Specific didactic courses and journal clubs integrates these fields with other areas of cancer research in providing trainees a broad and in-depth understanding of important issues in oncology. • A clinical mentoring program is provided to give graduate students and post-doctoral fellows exposure to translational and clinical research approaches. • This is the only training program at our university completed dedicated to research in cancer biology.

4. Program History • Initiated at Washington University with institutional funds in 2002 as a program for training graduate students. • The program may be expanded to include postdoctoral students with funding of the T32 application • The Siteman Cancer Center (SCC) at Washington University funded at 50% stipend level for 2 yrs each: • 8 students in 2002 • 6 additional students in 2003 • 5 additional students in 2004 • 5 additional students in 2005 • In 2006, will provide full stipend to 3 postdocs & 4 students • The didactic courses associated with the program have been ongoing since 1999 • The program has been interdisciplinary since its inception with students and postdoctoral fellows participating in cancer research in a wide range of fields in multiple different departments.

5. Cancer Biology Graduates StudentAdvisorDeptProgramThesis 2002 Andy Bredemeyer Ley Medicine Immunology GzmB & CTL Marisa Ponpuak Weber Medicine Mol Gen ARF nucleolar dynamics Sage Berg-Cross Marshall Biochem Chem Biology Modeling beta-turn mimetics Suzanne Brady Weber Medicine Mol Genetics Nucleophosmin in cell cycle progression Hiliary Luderer Longmore Medicine Mol Cell Bio Ajuba & Zyxin in mets Jane Knisely Bu Radiology Mol Cell Bio LDL receptor protein in tumor invasion Holly Epple Longmore Medicine Mol Cell Bio Ajuba in motility and polarity Ellen Langer Longmore Medicine Mol Cell Bio Epithelial mesenchymal transition 2003 Julia Cordero Cagan Cell Bio Mol Cell Bio EGFR/Ras/MAPK in Drosophila So Hee Dho Weintraub Surgery Mol Cell Bio Na-H exchanger in antineoplastic activity Jaehong Kim Parks Medicine Mol Cell Bio Synovial sarcoma translocation in adhesion Gwanghee Lee H Piwnica-Worms Cell Bio Mol Cell Bio CDC25 in breast cancer Julie O’Neal Tomasson Medicine Mol Cell Bio Myc in myeloid leukemia Jennifer Sprague Anderson Radiology Chem Biology Cu-ligands and metalloproteinases

6. Cancer Biology Trainees StudentAdvisorDeptProgramThesis 2004 Gunjan Choudhary Ratner Medicine Mol Genetics HTLV receptor Rachel Delston Harbour Opthamol Mol Cell Bio Ink4a and melanoma Snehal Naik D Piwnica-Worms Radiology Mol Genetics Imaging beta catenin interactions Ozge Uluckan Weilbaecher Medicine Mol Genetics Beta3 integrin and bone mets Bin Zhang Milbrandt Pathology Mol Genetics Nkx3.1 target genes in prostate Ca 2005 Meghna Das Thakur Longmore Medicine Mol Genetics Lim proteins and epithelia adhesion Shugaku Takeda Hsieh Medicine Dev Biol Taspase 1 and tumorigenesis Yat Tang Marshall Biochem Comp Biol p53-Mdm2 peptide antagonists Ho-Chou Tu Cheng Medicine Mol Cell Bio Regulation of Bcl2 proteins Robert Yang Marshall Biochem Comp Biol Inhbitors of Erb signaling

7. Key recent program projects to SCC members • The Genomics of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia” (PI: T Ley), funded by the NCI as a P01 project in 9/03 • “Functional Polymorphism Analysis in Drug Pathways” (PI: H McLeod) awarded by GM as a U01 project in 2001 • Washington University Molecular Imaging Center (ICMIC)” (PI: D Piwnica-Worms) was awarded by NCI in 5/02 • Biomed 21 is a 250,000 sq ft translational research facility to be located in the heart of the medical school that will add 50 new faculty members, funded by donations to the university, and to be completed 2005. The project will include a Center for Genomics and Human Genetics led by RK Wilson PhD, a Division of Clinical Sciences led by KS Polonsky MD, and a Center for Biological Imaging led by RJ Jost MD.

8. Factors instrumental to the success of this training program • Superb and rapidly expanding medical school • An outstanding cancer center • Broad coverage of areas of modern cancer research • A vigorous and enthusiastic research-oriented faculty • Dedicated administrative staff • A program committee that is actively involved in student and postdoctoral selection, mentoring, and policy formulation • A sound financial base • A flexible, but defined program • Collegial atmosphere that support collaborative research • Outstanding students

9. Administrative Structure of Training Program Theresa Waldhoff

10. Journal Clubs Participating in Molecular Oncology Training Program • Molecular & Developmental Journal Club K Kroll • Experimental Hematopoiesis Journal Club D Link • Cancer Biology Journal Club J Weber • Genetics Journal Club S Dutcher • Molecular Virology Journal Club A Pekosz • Hematology & Oncology Journal Club P Majerus

12. Steering Committee Meetings • Aug: • Review and select students and postdocs for the program • Review plans of journal clubs and clinical and translational mentoring groups, and review plans for annual program retreat • Review internal advisory board and trainees’ evaluations of the program • Jan: • Review content and student critiques of journal clubs and clinical and translational mentoring groups, and plans for didactic course • Review research progress forms for each pre- and post-doctoral student • May: • Review content and student critiques of didactic courses • Pre- and post-doctoral student advising

13. Didactic Course Courses started in 1999 Alternating years – D Wilson & L Ratner (emphasis on pediatric vs adult oncology Proposed Schedule for 2006 Course Jan 17 – Lee Ratner - Introduction Jan 24 – Jason Weber – Translational control in cancer Jan 31 – Sheila Stewart – Senescence and Tumorigenesis Feb 7 - Loren Michel – Mitotic Checkpoints Feb 14 - Simon Powell – Radiation Repair Feb 21 Emily Cheng – Apoptosis and Cancer Feb 28 – Ming You – Molecular Basis of Cancer Prevention Mar 7 – Suzanne Pontow – Cytoskeleton and cancer Mar 14 – Jeffrey Moley - Familial Cancer and Pre-emptive Surgery Mar 21 - James Hsieh – Proteases and Cancer Mar 28 – Michael Tomasson – Tyrosine kinase inhibitors for cancer Apr 4 – Matthew Walters – Chromosomal Abnormalities and Cancer Apr 11 - Tim Graubert – Stem cell transplantation Apr 18- Jerry Linette – Cancer Vaccines Apr 25 – Student sponsored speaker

14. Trainee Schedule

15. Other Educational Programs • 7 SCC research programs have regular internal seminars or discussion groups, including • Cancer Genetics Lunchtime Seminar Series • Molecular and Development Biology Journal Club • Cancer Center Research Talks • Weekly Immunology Seminar • Weekly Signaling/Cell Cycle Series • Prevention and Control Seminar • Oncologic Imaging Seminar Series • SCC has sponsored two major conferences in 2003 that have had national and international participation, including • Small Animal Imaging Resource Advanced Symposium • Stem Cell Symposium • Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences has extensive graduate training programs • Siteman Cancer Center Basic Science Symposia